Peter Banda appointed International Correspondent for PM World in Zimbabwe

Founder of Zimbabwe’s national project management society to share news and professional developments from Harare

20 February 2014 – Dallas, London, Sydney, Harare – PM World has announced that Mr. Peter Banda has been appointed an International Correspondent for the organization in Harare, Zimbabwe. Peter is an agile portfolio manager with change management, marketing and project management experience, and an accomplished entrepreneur with broad stakeholder management expertise.

Peter Banda is a founder of Zimbabwe’s largest Association of Project Managers with a membership of over 1000, Project Management Zimbabwe (PMZ – formerly called Project Management Institute of Zimbabwe). He has worked in both the private & public sectors during the last 20 years in Zimbabwe, Botswana & South Africa. Peter is a born & passionate teacher, mentor & trainer with skills ranging from Personal Development Planning to Project Management. Peter has presented & published over 20 papers at high profile international conferences & leading newspapers & publications respectively during the last 8 years.

Peter is currently Secretary- General & CEO of PROJECT MANAGEMENT ZIMBABWE (PMZ). Responsibilities cover strategic navigation of PMZ towards the vision covering board advisory and stakeholder management. He was previously a Higher Education Examiner, Facilitator, Lecturer, Curriculum Developer and Assessor for both local and International Diploma and Degree courses for the Zimbabwe Ministry of Higher & Tertiary Education. He also served as an Examiner, Assessor and Facilitator for SpringSoft in South Africa. Peter holds a Bachelors (Hon.) degree and MSc qualification, and is currently studying for a PhD & PMP exams. A God fearing father of 2 lovely daughters & 1 son, Peter likes reading & researching current affairs, coaching others to realise their dreams, and watching soccer & cricket. Peter Banda can be contacted at PMIZ National Secretariat Office [email protected]

According to Wikipedia, Zimbabwe, officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country located in southern Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. The capital is Harare. Zimbabwe’s total population is approximately 13 million. [1] The last 15 years have been turbulent in Zimbabwe, with many political, economic and social changes. Below are some additional facts about Zimbabwe from Wikipedia. [1]

Zimbabwe has 16 official languages, with English, Shona and Ndebele being most common. The present territory was first demarcated during the 1890s, becoming self-governing Southern Rhodesia in 1923. Zimbabwe achieved de jure sovereignty from the United Kingdom in April 1980 and declared independence in 1965.

Most of the country is elevated in the central plateau (high veld) stretching from the southwest to the northwest at altitudes between 1,200 and 1,600 m. The country’s east is mountainous with Mount Nyangani as the highest point at 2,592 m. About 20% of the country consists of the low veld under 900m. The country has a tropical climate with a rainy season from late October to March. The climate is moderated by the altitude.

Mineral exports, gold, agriculture, and tourism are the main foreign currency earners of Zimbabwe. The mining sector remains very lucrative, with some of the world’s largest platinum reserves being mined by Anglo American plc and Impala Platinum. The Marange diamond fields, discovered in 2006, are considered the biggest diamond find in over a century. Zimbabwe is the biggest trading partner of South Africa on the continent.

Zimbabwe boasts several major tourist attractions. Victoria Falls on the Zambezi, which are shared with Zambia, are located in the north west of Zimbabwe. Before the economic changes, much of the tourism for these locations came to the Zimbabwe side but now Zambia is the main beneficiary. The Victoria Falls National Park is also in this area and is one of the eight main national parks in Zimbabwe, largest of which is Hwange National Park. [1]

Harare is the capital of Zimbabwe. It is the country’s seat of government and largest city, with an estimated population of 2,800,000 in its metropolitan area (2006). Administratively, Harare is a metropolitan province, which also incorporates Chitungwiza town and Epworth. It is Zimbabwe’s leading financial, commercial, and communications centre, and a trade centre for tobacco, maize, cotton, and citrus fruits. Manufactured goods include textiles, steel and chemicals, and gold is mined in the area.

Harare is situated at an elevation of 1483 metres (4865 feet) and its climate falls into the warm temperate category. Harare is the site of the University of Zimbabwe, the largest institution of higher learning in Zimbabwe, which is situated in the suburb of Mount Pleasant, about 6 km north of the city centre. Numerous suburbs surround the city, with the most affluent to the north of the city. [2]

According to PMWJ Managing Editor David Pells, “We are happy to welcome Peter Banda to our global network of international correspondents. We have all read about the economic and political turbulence in Zimbabwe from afar for many years. Now we have someone who can appraise us about projects, project management and conditions affecting the PM profession there on a regular basis.”

Peter Banda stated, “I am delighted to join the PM World team, and to have the opportunity to bring the world’s attention to the growth of professional project management in our country. With several thousand active members and stakeholders now, Project Management Zimbabwe and the project management profession are in a position to actively support the future economic development of the country.”

The PM World Journal(PMWJ) is published by PM World in the United States, but created by a virtual team of contributors and editors around the world. Each month, the PMWJ features dozens of articles, papers, and stories about projects and project management in many countries and industries. PM World also produces the PM World Library (PMWL), a global resource for continuous learning in portfolio, program and project management. PM World is a virtual organization reflecting the 21st century reality of a connected world where individuals and organizations worldwide can collaborate for the creation, sharing and application of new knowledge. To see the latest edition of the PMWJ, visit www.pmworldjournal.net; to learn more, visit www.pmworldlibrary.net.